Altitude-controlled valve



Paenfed Jan. 12, 1943 This invention relates to apparatus fol' supplying oxygen for high altitude peration of aircraft and Sinilar purposes; and l'e particularly to an atitllde-0011tr011ed valve for varying the volulne of oxygen supplied to consun1ing devices in accordance with changes in atlnosp1eric pressure corresponding tochanges in altitude.

In high altitude ying, additional oxygen must be supplied to the occupants of an airplane dlle to the increased rarity of the atn10Sphere The additional amount of oxygen required is Substan tially proportiona1 to the altitude at vvllicl the aircraft is ying. As both Space and weight ae at al prenliun1 in aircraft, the bulk and vveight of the 0xygen Supply and associated regulating and indicating apparatus must be kept as small as possible For this reason, the oxygen usually iS Supplied in cy1inders in which the 0xygen is com pressed un(i`(l relatively high prSsure In order to re1ieve the operator of the airplane fron1 the necessity of controlling the volunle of oxygen supplied in accordance with changes in altitude, it has hitherto been proposed to use auton1atic apparatus for supplying varying quantities of oxygen to the interior of the aii`craft in accordance with changes in altitude, Which changes are ref[ected in corresponding changes in the atn10spheric pressure.

Such apparatus as hitherto used has l10t been very sensitive to changes in altitude nor has it been capable of producing gradual chngeS ill the v0luIne 0f oxygen supplied vvit1 Te18tively rapid changes in altiude. dditi()nally such apparatus has neither been dependable nor econonical and has required additional and Separate ndicat ing apparatus to den0te the quantity of oxygen being supplied at a given time It is therefol'e al110ng the objects of tlis invention t0-provide an aJtitude-00ntr01ed valve vvhich is sensitive to changes in at!nospheric pressure to produce gradual changes in oxygen 1iow vvith relatively rapid changes in altitude; to provide an altitudecontr011ed valve including a!i ilidicating device 0peratively associated therevvith to show the rate of 0w of oxygen passingth0ugh the valve; and to provide an altituec0ntr0led valve which is eas to nnanufacture, and depndable and econonlical i1 0peration.

These and other objects of the inventi011 Will in part be obvious and in art hecome parent fr0n he following description and acconpanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is al sectional view through an altitudecontrolled valve embodying the principles of the inventio!1; and

'-E'ig 2 is a right hand end' view of th valve shown in E'ig. 1.

(...enerally speaking, the objects of the invention are attained by contro11ing the flovv of oxygen by a rotatable valve Ineans, sonlewhat Sinlilar to the conventional needlevalve, and atlnospheric pressure responsive !neans, such as a ]...ourdon which the oxygen is supplied. Through a sui` able gearing arrangen1ent, indicating apparatus, for indicating rate of 0w of oxygen and/or the atitude*or the at! loSpheric pressure nlay be operativey associated with the Bourdon tube and the valve.

Referring to the drwing, the altitudecontrolled valve 0f the invention includes a bell- Sha ed housillg or casing |D. The closed end of the housing is fornled with a boss |2, drilled or bored 10ngitudinauy t0 form a passage M, and the open end of '#he housing may be closed by a cover plate l6 suitably secured to the housing.

A valve body 2 is seated in passage M and gas-tightly Secured to the housing by suitable nean Such as silver soldered joints 22 and z valve body 2| e tends outwardly beyond boss |2.

and is formed with external threads 26- An oxygen inlet pipe 28 is seated in the end of the valve body and is held in place by a lock nut 3| engaging threads 26- Coaxial passages 32 and 3 ...xte1d th0ugh the valve body and al e con- 11ecte(1-by a valving orice 36 formed by an in terlal annular shoulder 38 in the body 2p. ()ne part of the vvall of passage 34 is forled vvith tlireds l and the 0th' part of the wall is forned with an aperture 2 registering with an illternally threaded outlet apertur -)1' pening in the boss l2. A suitable 0xygen ()utlet pipe Inay be threadedly secured in opening At its i!1el' end, body 2@ is enlarged and threadgd as at 

